Dress-shield.



No. 717,,880. PATENTED JAN. 6; 1903.

. L. M. FERGUSON.

- DRESS SHIELD.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 5, 1902.

NO MODEL.

2 2, Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LETA M. FERGUSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DRESS-SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,830, dated January 6, 1903. Application filed April 5, 1902. Serial No. 101,537. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LETA M. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Dress-Shields,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dress-shields, and has for its object to provide an improved construction of the same whereby the perspiration will be effectually collected and retained without unduly increasing the thickness of the shield at the armpit. This object I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved shield, the same being shown partly broken away to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line Fig. 3 is a detail view of the outer waterproof layer. Figs. land 5 are similar views of the intermediate absorbent layer. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the inner waterproof layer.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the said drawings the reference-n umeral 1 denotes the outer protecting layer of fabric; 2, the outer layer of Waterproof material, such as rubber; 3, theintermediate layer of absorbent material, such as flannel or felt, the same being formed in two separate pieces, one for each flap of the shield, for a purpose hereinafter to bedescribed; 4, the inner layer of waterproof material, such as rubber, the same being provided along its edges with a series of out away portions or substantially V- shaped indentations 5, as shown; and 6, the inner protecting layer of fabric.

The absorbent layer 3 I form in two pieces, onefor each flap of the shield, as the same does not extend up to thearmpit except at its extreme ends for the purpose of attachment, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby leaving the shield at the armpit thinner and preventingundue perspiration at that point, as well as not interfering with the fit of the dress.

The inner layer of waterproof material 4 I provide with the V-shaped indentations 5 in order to provide for access of the perspiration to the underlying absorbent layer 3, the parts of said layer 3 -intermediate said indentations extending tothe edges of the shield, as shown, for attachment to prevent working up or wrinkling of the same.

To confine the edges of the shield, I employ .a binding-strip '7 and prefer to use for the same a waterproof material, such as rubberimpregnated fabric, as is commonly used in dress-shields. I also prefer to make that flap of the shield that is to go next to the body of the wearer somewhat wider and longer than the arm-flapin order to absorb the greaterse= cretion of perspiration from the body.

In use the relatively thinner portion of the shield coming under the armpit will not tend to increase the heat and perspiration at that point, while the perspiration secreted will run down the inner sides of the waterproof layer 4 until the indentations 5 are reached, when it will pass into the underlying absorbent layer 3 and be held, the same acting by capillary attraction to absorb the perspiration throughout its whole surface, even in that portion above the indentations 5. The binding-strip 7, being waterproof material, will not become soaked with perspiration, and thus ruin the dress around the edges of the shield.

I am aware that it is old to provide an innor layer of waterproof material with aseries of small perforations to permit the perspiration to pass therethrough to the underlying absorbent layer; but such a construction is by no means as eiiicient as the hereinbefore-described indentations, as it 'is well known that a liquid will have a tendency'to avoid such perforations and to run down the Waterproof layer and .off the edge of the shield into the dress of the wearer. This defeet my improved construction avoids, as the perspiration must run off the edges of the indentations, and thus be absorbed by the layer 3.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, isr l. A dress-shield, comprising an external imperforate layer of waterproof material, an intermediate layer of absorbent material, and aninternal layer of waterproof material provided with a series of substantially V- shapedindentationsextendingfrom the lower I for each flap, and cut away so as to termiedge of the shield part way up the same to expose the underlying absorbent material, substantially as set forth.

2. A dress-shield, comprising an external imperforate layer of Waterproof material, an internal layer of Waterproof material pronate at their centers some distance below the point of juncture of said flaps but united at their extreme ends to retain them in position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing vided with indentations along its edges, each Witnesses. of said layers formed in one piece and extend- LETA M. FERGUSON. ing throughout the whole area of both flaps Witnesses:

of the shield, and an intermediate layer of absorbent material formed of two pieces, one

HUGH M. STERLING, PERCY B. HILLS. 

